RavenStag

Eventually he slowed and then they were just leaning against one another, holding the other up. Jack's hand played idly with the strings on Robby's hoodie. Robby needed to retreat before he did something foolish.

He stood up, more than a little unsteady from the alcohol, and stretched his back. "I'm gonna go to bed. You want the guest room?"

"No," Jack whined, catching his fingers in the pocket on Robby's cargos.

"You’re going to be uncomfortable on the couch."

"I'm comfortable with you." And oh, did he wish that were true. Jack would not be comfortable if he knew the depth of his desire.

There was something terrible in Robby's chest: something that would ruin everything if it ever came to light. Jack was a perfect friend, a kindness that Robby didn’t deserve. A kindness he was in the process of betraying.

See, Robby wanted. It thumped in his chest like a heartbeat: he wanted, he wanted, he wanted. He was a ravening creature, desperate and starving and feral. It was like a line in a book he loved as a child: "I would eat you up, I love you so." And just like in the story, Robby's heart roars it's terrible roar and gnashes it's terrible teeth because he can't be trusted- every day he betrays Jack with his terrible want. A desire so big it could barely fit inside his chest.

He could not be trusted with this one good thing; he would destroy it beyond repair.

"If you really want to sleep on the couch, you need to remove your leg." Robby coaxed. Truly, it needed to be removed and then the skin needed to be cleaned, but that was beyond both of their capabilities right now.

"C'mon," Jack whined. "Can’t you do it?"

His trust in Robby was heartbreaking- how was he supposed to say no? What would he say: I can't be trusted to touch your skin because I'm in love with you and you're not in love with me?

"You don't want that," Robby murmured, running a hand through Jack’s curls, giving into his desires just this once because he actually was very drunk. Hopefully Jack wouldn't remember. "You hate when people touch your leg."

"You’re not people," Jack slurred. "You’re Robby."

And again, his heart was shattering into a million pieces, but he couldn’t find it in himself to argue any more. There was one fundamental fact, way down deep in the core of him, the one good thing about him: he would do anything for Jack.

Carefully, he sat down on the floor, sliding Jack's pant leg up. He released the pressure valve, removed the sock and liner and set it to the side. He rubbed the skin gently, just as he had watched Jack do a million times. But then Jack sighed and Robby ripped his hands away, crashing back to earth. Too much, he was too much.

"Why'd you stop?" Jack whined. "You can touch me."

"You’re drunk," Robby sighed, carefully leveraging himself up.

Jack slumped over on the couch like a puppet with it's strings cut and Robby repositioned him so that he would be more comfortable. His head on a throw pillow, his foot on the cushions. He gets another pillow to prop up his residual limb. Jack sighed again.

"You’re so good to me."

"I'm really not," Robby said, and as if to prove his point, he gave into his baser instincts once more and stroked his curls.

"I love you," Jack said sleepily, catching Robby's arm. He kissed the sensitive turn of Robby's elbow, making his whole body shudder.

"I love you too." And Robby was sad, so fucking sad because he knew that Jack didn't mean it the way he did.

To Jack, Robby was a brother, a best friend, a confidant. A comrade in arms. To Robby, Jack was his whole world. His light in the darkness, the true love of his life. He would never love anyone the way he loved Jack.

Noah Wyle at PaleyFest LA 2026 after a screening of the finale talking on Robby's mentoring during season 2.

(transcript under the cut)

it's a show about social injustice, racism and grief, it's a show about change and community and good intentions and biases

it has its moments, but it is not a funny lighthearted show and if you have any personal experiences on the matter, it could probably hit you real hard

if this show came out after the lockdowns, some of it would've been pandery low hanging fruit imo, but it didn't. it came out in 2019 and got sidelined by cbs, but the messages it tries to communicate are just as valid today if not more so

i personally think that a lot of people could actually benefit from the different perspectives that are being highlighted and possibly reflect on their own biases

it's only 8 episodes, they were probably hoping for a second season at the time, i know some people don't wanna watch stuff like that, but it's not openended and it has a great cast, multidimensional characters who make up their minds and change it, do good and fuck up along the way because that's just life

Lizzie is his best friend. Her Grandmother was friends with Robby's. They went to temple together and attended the same book club.

Lizzie was the closest thing to a sister Robby has ever had.

The only person in his life left after his Bubbe passed.

So when he she comes home from deployment with a combat medic named Jack telling Robby, she's found the one. He's happy for her.

Jack is great. He's handsome, charming, funny, caring, and gets Liz in a way none of her past boyfriends ever did.

Robby is weary, of course. Lizzie has a habit of dating guys who don't much like how close their girlfriend is to another man. (Even after they find out Robby is queer — they never bother explaining Robby is bisexual because that always made it worse)

Jack never seems bothered by it — he invites Robby to dinner with them. Asks him to ball games. He goes out of his way to get to know his girlfriends best friend.

By the time Jack asks Robby to help propose to Lizzie, the two of them are near inseparable too.

When Jack asks, Robby is there to take pictures and pop the champagne (beer because hes still a resident and living in the city is expensive even with an inherited house).

Lizzie asks him to be her best man right before Jack asks.

He ends up officating the wedding instead.

When Jack is sent back out while Lizzie stays behind — they both worry. Lizzie moves in with Robby, not like she wasn't living there already. It helps having to two of them together to keep the other distracted.

When Lizzie gets the call, Robby is at work. He's covering for a fellow residents sick leave. He's been on shift for almost seventy-two hours. Mind a blurry mess trying to catch sleep in the on call room.

Dana wakes him up, her face carefully schooled.

"Whats wrong?"

"Its Liz."

All she has to say is "Jack's hurt." And Robby is out the door. He tells Adamson its a family emergency and is racing home.

He can't go with her to get him, they need him at the hospital, but he does everything else. He contacts Jack's CO, talks about PT, and recovery over the phone with the doctor.

He asks around about VA hospitals, talks to ortho about their prothesis program.

He spends his days off renovating the downstairs to meet Jack's needs.

By the time Lizzie is flying home with Jack minus half a leg, Robby has rearranged his whole life.

He picks them up from the airport. Jack in his wheelchair. His service bag in his lap, circles under his eyes, bandages covering his whole right side. Jack notices him first and the faintest hint of a smile tips his lips.

And Robby is bowled over.

His heart drops to his knees, his hands go numb, he feels like someone stuck his finger in a light socket.

Because even injured and tired, looking for all the worlds like he cheated death, Jack is the most beautiful person he's ever laid eyes on.

He's his only other friend, basically his brother in law, married to the most important person in Robby’s life.